


LIke Ships In The Night

by The_Shipper_Of_Heart



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M, Moomin is just a cinnamon roll, Snufkin is a pirate, and darn proud, maybe some blood, violence later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-25 03:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21689557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Shipper_Of_Heart/pseuds/The_Shipper_Of_Heart
Summary: Snufkin is the young captrain to a crew of pirates- he's a Pirate Prince, as some call him. His father, the original captain and 'Pirate King', went missing some time ago and now Snufkin has been put into the role. He loves the adventure, but does get lonely being the youngest on board.That is, until he sees a shipwrecked individual out in the sea one night- A Young Moomin by the name of Moomintroll who keeps his background vague.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	LIke Ships In The Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A user on here, CranberryTea, posted an AU fic into the Snufmin server- "Ship Wrecked", a fic of Snufkin being the captain of a pirate crew but washes up in Moominvalley (fic here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18475423/chapters/43775335) After reading it, I thought about pirate! Snufkin and just through the idea was cute.

Snufkin was a vagabond, and an adventurer at heart. If there was any chance to see the world, he took it up immediately. It was just how he was raised. His father was one of the most well known pirate captains in all of the seas. It was a title Snufkin didn’t think he’d take up so young, at only 19, but here he was-in charge of his father’s crew since the disappearance of the captain, who called himself a pirate king, and referred to Snufkin as a pirate prince. Now it wasn’t a rank he was super fond of, but to remember his father...that was his title, as Snufkin refused to refer to himself as a king. His father was out there somewhere, and Snufkin was not going to take his title from him.He was the youngest of the crew by far, but he was respected as the captain, with the same respect his father had been given. Though, he wished there was just one more crew member that was around his age, just for someone to talk to. Growing up a pirate, they didn’t stay on mainlands for too long, so he never got to know anyone. 

The crew was pretty much his family, a bunch of uncles or older brothers as his father would put it. By blood, the only family the young captain knew was himself and his father. He had asked about his mother many times, but the response his father gave him was always the same. “A woman from one of the lands the crew and I stayed some time in. She had many children already, so after you were born, I brought you along with me.” Even when Snufkin asked what she looked like, it was always “A lovely tall woman with beautiful red hair”. Now, Snufkin wasn’t going through all the mainlands they came across to find her. As his father said, she already had so many children, it would be weird to just walk up to her and go “Hello, I’m your son! You slept with a pirate 19 years ago, and made me.” At least once during his travels, he did come across some people who looked like the woman his father described, but he wasn’t about to approach them and ask questions. Though Snufkin was curious about the other part of his blood, he was okay with life right now. He was certain if he met his maternal family, they’d disapprove of his pirate ways and talk him into staying on the mainland- something Snufkin was not about to do. 

Snufkin stood on a shroud, holding onto the rope to look out to the beautiful ocean with all its mysteries. He closed his eyes and took in a breath of sea air, letting the breeze wash over him. The crew was below deck, sorting through the treasures they had just found. Snufkin was a fair captain, and was not one for material possessions. He took only a few of the treasures, then left the rest of his crew to help themselves to. He enjoyed the silence- just him and the ocean. He smiled to himself, tipping his hat up to see the horizon. He remembered all the stories his father told him as a child- all of the creatures and sights he saw in the waters, the lands he explored, the night sky loaded with stars, free of the light pollution the mainland gave off that ruined the view. The untouched sky was so clear, one could see several shooting stars in a single night. It was childish, but Snufkin believed that shooting stars could grant wishes, shooting overhead to collect the wishes of those lucky to see one, to deliver them back to the heavens. He even believed that stars could guide one’s destiny and lead them to their futures.

Snufkin squinted. Out in the water, there was something floating. His kind, murmiks, had fantastic night vision-they saw as well in the night as they could in the day, which made late navigations a breeze. Snufkin could only make out a few details. Whatever it was out there, it looked to be on a piece of driftwood. He blinked a few times to help his eyes focus. He could make out paws, a head...a face.

There was someone out in the water.

Snufkin’s eyes widened, hopping from the shroud and grabbing some rope, as he ran he tied the rope around himself, tied the other end to the ship, and dove right off of the boat into the cold waters below.The pirate captain began to swam as fast as he could to the body. With hope they were still alive. As Snufkin got closer, he could see them slightly moving, eyes barely open as they turned their head to the captain swimming closer.

“Hold on!” Snufkin yelled. The shipwrecked individual looked at Snufkin, weakly raised a hand to them, and passed out, letting go of the driftwood and slipping into the water. Snufkin dove down just in time, grabbing ahold of them and returning them both to the surface. The driftwood had a pack on top of it. Must be important, Snufkin thought, getting it over his shoulder. He used his free arm to pull himself and the other towards the ship with the rope. By now, the crew was alerted of what the captain was doing, yelling out to him to let the shipwrecked one go or to hold on, pulling on the rope to bring the two up. Once they got their captain and the other on board, the crew dragged the passed out victim a few feet from their captain, tending to the pirate prince first. One of the members brought over his coat, which Snufkin brushed away. He was cold, dripping wet, and tired. But, he didn’t regret what he did.

“Captain! What did ya do that for?” Asked one of the crew. “Shoulda let the fellow drown. Doesn’t look like he’s going to make it.”

“Aye,” agreed another. “That was quite foolish, sir. You could’ve been killed yourself. One drowned person isn’t a big deal.”

Snufkin glared at the crew. “Nobody...is dying… on my watch.” He said between breaths, looking over to the body laying on deck. He was a fluffy white creature with pointed ears. His clothes were shabby and torn, so he must have been out there for a while. Pack still over his shoulder, Snufkin stood and walked over, kneeling beside them. He lightly grabbed the others arm, checking for a pulse. There was one- but it was weak. He put his ear to their chest-they were breathing, but it was slow. He looked over to the crew, taking his captain’s coat without a word and putting it over them like a blanket. Poor thing must be freezing, Snufkin thought. Who knows how long he was out there for? He looked back to the crew. “Help me get him to my quarters.”

\---

The shipwrecked creature gave a small groan, starting to wake up, his bag at the bedside, untouched. Snufkin sat upright in his chair. He hadn’t left their side since he was brought in and put into Snufkin’s bed. Their eyes peeked open, blinking a couple times. Their eyes were half lidded, but Snufkin could see they were a beautiful blue. Just like the ocean, like the clearest sky. Whoever they were, they were alive- that’s all the pirate prince cared about at this moment.

“What..Where am I…” He spoke softly. That is, Snufkin assumed they were a guy, he didn’t want to start assuming things, but it didn’t seem to polite to just outright ask. What if they were offended?

Snufkin stood, removing his hat and bowing. “You are in good hands, traveler. You have been rescued by the finest pirate crew in the seas.”

The shipwrecked traveler propped himself up in the bed. “I...a pirate crew?” He rubbed at his head. “Wait, you were..the one that came out to save me, weren’t you?”

“Aye, it’s a captain’s job to look out for the lives of his crew and anyone in need.” Snufkin put a foot on his chair, resting his arm on his knee as he looked at them. “Who might you be?”

“Oh! Uhm, my name’s Moomintroll.”

Moomintroll...that name sounded a little familiar. “And where might you be from, Moomintroll?”

“I come from Moominvalley.”

Moominvalley...Snufkin had heard of  _ that  _ too. “Ah, Moominvalley. So lovely in the Spring. But...we’re quite a ways from the mainland. How long had you been out in the waters?” He assumed by the name and where he came from, he was a moomin. He remembered his father telling him stories of their kind- fluffy and white like a cloud, some of the kindest beings you’d ever meet. He only knew of one or two- but that’s all he would say about it. When Snukin would ask who they were, if they were nice, and if he could meet them, his father got quiet. All his father would say to the young murmik was that it was all “in the past” and that they wouldn’t be welcome there- the moomins he had met probably wouldn’t remember him. It puzzled Snufkin, since he was told the moomins were kind folk and welcomed anyone. Perhaps his father was known there and unwelcome. But, Snufkin himself bore a striking resemblance to his father, and he had been to the valley a few times- nothing bad had happened to him. Unless he had always left before he could be accused of wrongdoing.

Moomnitroll looked down, bringing his knees to his chest. “I didn’t feel like I belonged there. I left during the night in a boat I made. I wanted to see the world as my father had when he was my age. But a couple nights ago a bad storm came in and destroyed part of the boat and knocked me off. I grabbed the piece that came off the boat, but the waves were too strong for me to try and swim back. So I just kept floating. I...didn’t think I’d survive. Lucky your ship was out and you swam all that way to get me.” Moomintroll thought about that. The ship seemed so far off, and the captain himself had swam out all that way to save him rather than ignore him and let him die. He must have good eyesight, Moomintroll thought to himself. 

“Ah. I remember that storm.” Snufkin said, turning his head towards the window. “My crew and I had been through far worse storms, but that one was still quite violent.” He looked back to Moomintroll. “Amazing you were able to hold on for so long. Two days without food or water, you must be starving.”

Moomintroll gave a nervous smile and looked away shyly. “Erm… you wouldn’t..happen to-” But before he could finish, Snufkin was out the door, returning quite quickly with a plate of food and a mug of water, handing it to Moomintroll.

“Here, please.” Snufkin said, tipping his hat up. “I already made sure you didn’t drown, I’m not gonna let you die from dehydration or starvation. Nobody dies on my watch.”

“Thank you.” Moomintroll said. Snufkin assumed he was going to dig in and not care about manners, which was perfectly fine- Snufkin  _ had  _ lived among pirates all his life, he was used to it. But Moomintroll was very polite. He cut his food up into proper sizes, didn’t shovel food in. Wherever he was from in the valley, he was raised with good manners. Moomin suddenly looked alert, like he had just remembered something. “Oh! My pack! I had it-”

“Right here.” Snufkin finished, picking up the pack beside the bed and handing it to Moomin.” Don’t worry- I may be a pirate, but I didn’t take anything from it. In fact, I don’t even know what’s in it.”

Moomin had a sigh of relief before placing the bag beside him. “Thank you.” Moomin said. “Its just some stuff from home I didn’t want to be without.”

Once he finished and the dishes were cleared, Moomintroll was quite curious about the captain. “Did you say you were the  _ captain?”  _ Moomintroll asked, looking at Snufkin with a hint of doubt on his face. Snufkin turned his chair around and sat facing Moomintroll, arms and chin resting on the back of the chair.

“Why yes.”

“But you’re so... _ young” _

Snufkin laughed. “Well, I didn’t just show up one day to the ship and call myself the captain. My father was the captain of this ship, but he’s away right now, so I took on the title.”

“And..how old are you may I ask?”

“Nineteen.”

“So am I!”   
  


Snufkin almost fell back, catching himself by holding onto the chair’s back as his eyes widened. “You’re...my age?”

“Yeah. Does that surprise you?”

“Well it’s just...i don’t usually meet others my own age.” Snufkin quietly looked out the window. “Traveling from land to land, I don’t quite get the chance to meet others and keep in touch.” He walked over to the window and kept his focus on the outside, arm resting above the window’s frame. “We’re only a couple days from the valley. I can have the ship turned around so you can-

“No.” Moomintroll spoke, wincing at his own rudeness. “I mean.. I’m sorry to interrupt… But I don’t wish to go back to the valley. At least, not yet.”

Snufkin looked over his shoulder. “Is there another mainland you want us to drop you off in? I know a few that are quite interesting. Perfect for first-time travelers.”

“Actually…” Moomintroll tapped his index fingertips together as he looked away once more. “Could I perhaps..travel with you and your crew?”

Snufkin could’ve fainted right there. “You..want to travel with pirates? You  _ are  _ aware of what pirates usually do right? We...we steal, we don’t stay for too long…”

“You don’t kill or hurt anyone do you?”

“Of course not! We may steal, but we aren’t  _ monsters _ !”

“Then why the cutlass at your side?”

Snufkin looked, cheeks flushing nervously. “Oh erm..well we do run into other pirates in our travels, or we find those who put up a fight to protect their wealth. My crew knows that the swords are only in defense and to fight. I make it a rule no blood should ever be drawn unless absolutely necessary. Even then, it shouldn’t be a point to kill.” Snufkin groaned, he felt so flustered for whatever reason.

“Well, I see no problem with pirates as long as they aren’t thirsty for blood.” Moomintroll smiled a little. “Of course, I don’t want to just invite myself onto the-”

“Nonsense!” Snufkin smiled. “You may travel with us as long as you like, Moomintroll!” He took his paw. “Come! I will introduce you to the crew.” He stood Moomin up and walked (well, practically ran) out of the door. Moomin held the captain’s paw and tried to keep up. Forget acting all regal and as a captain should! Snufkin was so excited! Snufkin was happy- finally, someone who was his age that wanted to stay onboard. 


End file.
